8-K

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UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C.  20549

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FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): April 2, 2007

CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	0-18630	95-4274680
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

777 North Broadway, Los Angeles, California 90012
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code:     (213) 625-4700

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

        Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

[  ]  Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

[  ]  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

[  ]  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(d) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[  ]  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 8.01    Other Events

        On April 2, 2007, Cathay General Bancorp (the "Company") announced in a press release that its Board of Directors approved a 17 percent increase of the Company's quarterly cash dividend. A copy of the press release is furnished herewith as Exhibit 99.1.

Item 9.01    Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d)    Exhibits

        99.1    Press Release of Cathay General Bancorp dated April 2, 2007.

SIGNATURE

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

Date: April 2, 2007

                                                                                            CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP

                                                                                            By:  /s/ Heng W. Chen                            

                                                                                                   Heng W. Chen

                                                                                                   Executive Vice President and Chief

                                                                                                   Financial Officer

EXHIBIT INDEX

Number        Exhibit

99.1             Press Release of Cathay General Bancorp dated April 2, 2007.

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cathay General Bancorp                                                                                           Contact: Monica Chen
777 North Broadway                                                                                                (213) 625-4749
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Cathay General Bancorp Announces a 17% Increase in Quarterly Cash Dividend

LOS ANGELES, April 2, 2007: Cathay General Bancorp (Nasdaq: CATY), the holding company for Cathay Bank, announced today that its Board of Directors has approved a 17 percent increase of the company's quarterly cash dividend. The quarterly cash dividend will increase from 9 cents to 10.5 cents, payable on April 24, 2007, to stockholders of record as of April 13, 2007. 

Dunson K. Cheng, Chairman of the Board, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Cathay General Bancorp said, "With this dividend increase, we continue our tradition of seeking the creation of value for our stockholders consistent with our profitability and capital adequacy." 

ABOUT CATHAY GENERAL BANCORP

Cathay General Bancorp is the holding company for Cathay Bank, a California state-chartered bank. Founded in 1962, Cathay Bank offers a wide range of financial services. Cathay Bank currently operates thirty branches in California, nine branches in New York State, three branches in Chicago, Illinois, one branch in Massachusetts, one in Houston, Texas, two in Washington State, a loan production office in Dallas, Texas, and representative offices in Taipei, Hong Kong and Shanghai. Cathay Bank's website is found at http://www.cathaybank.com/.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND OTHER NOTICES 

Statements made in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the applicable provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, such words as "believes," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "estimates," "may," "will," "should," "could," "predicts," "potential," "continue," or the negative of such terms and other comparable terminology or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees. They involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of Cathay General Bancorp to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to, adverse developments or conditions related to or arising from: expa nsion into new market areas; acquisitions of other banks, if any; fluctuations in interest rates; demographic changes; earthquake or other natural disasters; competitive pressures; deterioration in asset or credit quality; changes in the availability of capital; legislative and regulatory developments; changes in business strategy, including the formation of a real estate investment trust; general economic or business conditions in California and other regions where Cathay Bank has operations.

These and other factors are further described in Cathay General Bancorp's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006, its reports and registration statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and other filings it makes in the future with the SEC from time to time. Cathay General Bancorp has no intention and undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements or to publicly announce the results of any revision of any forward-looking statement to reflect future developments or events. 

Cathay General Bancorp's filings with the SEC are available to the public from commercial document retrieval services and at the website maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov, or by request directed to Cathay General Bancorp, 777 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012, Attention: Investor Relations (213) 625-4749.